First photos of Google phone!

location based services

The first photos have appeared of the new Google phone, reportedly called the Google Switch. Admittedly they’re not much to go on, but they tie in with various reports that the search giant are stirring in the mobile sector.


What can we expect of the Google phone?
It will certainly have access to all of Google’s applications, including the search engine, Google Maps and Gmail, and it will also have built-in GPS navigation to facilitate the use of Google Maps. It doesn’t look like there are any buttons, so it’s another iPhone style touch-screen device, and apparently there’s no on-board storage either, with everything accessible over the web.
The similarities to the iPhone haven’t gone unnoticed, and with so much criticism of the “not-so-revolutionary” iPhone on the web at the moment, could the Google phone be an iPhone killer? A genuine all-media device, including broadband internet access on a screen that can do it justice would certainly run it close, and it could well beat the iPhone on price as well. Google has a history of subsidising its applications (Google Earth, Analytics) and its crusade to get the world using Google products could mean a more competitive pricing strategy.
There have been rumours aplenty about the various business partnerships that Google is negotiating. The phone is a collaboration with Samsung in some reports, but built by HTC in others. They are co-branding with Orange according one story, but then they already have the Web’N'Walk tariff with T-Mobile, and have other relationships with Vodafone and 3!
There’s certainly some truth in the Samsung rumour though, because on January 8th 2007 Google announced a partnership with the Korean manufacturer to preload Google applications onto a new range of Samsung phones.
Google have obviously realised the enormous potential of mobile phones for the growth of their search empire, in particular in relation to location-based services. When people are on the move they will often want information specific to where they are, so using their Google personal media centre they’ll be able to request information on cinemas, restaurants, or other local services, have their location pinpointed over GPS, then receive directions from Google Maps.
This isn’t new exactly, because Google have been pushing their mobile offering for a while, but the mobile internet experience isn’t that advanced yet, and is nowhere near as comfortable to use as desktop internet. Maybe Google’s expertise will bring the mobile internet revolution one step closer.
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